For music fans, there’s no better way to enjoy old favourites and discover new artists than attending a full-scale, multi-day music festival. America is a big country with lots of different climates, which means the outdoor festival season goes almost all year and features every genre, from rock to country to electronic dance music (EDM).
Click through the gallery for the best American music festivals held in each month of the year...
The Steamboat MusicFest draws in thousands of ski-lovin’, music-lovin’ folk to the snow-swept peaks of Colorado each January to enjoy the very best in Texas and Americana music. Spread out over six days, the festival features concerts, acoustic shows and singer-songwriter performances in venues that include a barn, a dance hall tent and an old saloon. Or catch one of the outdoor shows – a truly unique festival experience. Be sure to mark 6-11 January in your 2025 calendar.
Held in the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue in Washington State, Wintergrass is a four-day, family-friendly bluegrass and acoustic music festival offering knee-slapping concerts and dances across four different stages. The festival is also focused on preserving bluegrass for future generations, so expect lots of fun workshops and impromptu jams for adults and kids alike. Head to the Hyatt between 20-23 February in 2025 to get the blood circulating during the cold Washington winter.
For more than 30 years, Austin’s SXSW has evolved from a small music showcase and industry conference into a broader gathering for creative professionals, with separate film, comedy and music festivals, plus an 'interactive' conference that draws top tech and media professionals. Music is still at the heart of SXSW, with a multi-venue, week-long festival featuring both up-and-coming and heritage artists playing the city’s dozens of legendary music clubs, as well as a bigger outdoor stage. The dates for 2025 have just been announced – make sure you keep 7-15 March free.
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An eclectic festival that brings together big names from several genres of music, Okeechobee is just as likely to highlight EDM artists as mainstream folk rockers like Mumford and Sons. The four-day festival takes place on a gorgeous 800-acre property called Sunshine Grove near Lake Okeechobee, complete with a campground and beach. As well as music, Okeechobee features art installations, an artisan market, comedy and yoga classes. The festival is taking a year off in 2024 but promises to be back bigger and better in 2025.
A wildly popular electronic music festival, Ultra has been a Miami mainstay since it first launched in 1999. Held outdoors in Bayfield Park, this year’s weekend-long fest featured legendary EDM acts like Dutch DJ Hardwell, David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren and Tiesto playing over multiple stages, with each offering a different vibe. Since EDM is a worldwide phenomenon, Ultra has spread its presence globally, with sister festivals having popped up all over the world in recent years. Head to Miami on 28, 29 and 30 March in 2025.
With a mandate to create 'joyful, meaningful and transcendent cultural experiences,' Big Ears is almost the complete opposite of America’s enormous outdoor rock and hip-hop festivals. Performances are held in historic theatres, refurbished warehouses, cafes, quiet churches and other elegant venues throughout Knoxville. The musical programming is designed to be nuanced and challenging, with a mixture of jazz, experimental, folk and Neoclassical artists. The dates for 2025 are yet to be announced.
This three-day festival, which takes place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, just east of the city of Palm Springs, has grown from an alternative music festival into one of the world’s most well-known multi-stage pop music extravaganzas. A favourite of celebrity and social media influencers, Coachella has become so popular that it now stretches over the course of two weekends (with the same line-up both weeks) to accommodate more fans. Mark 12-14 April and 19-21 April in your 2024 calendar, or keep an eye out for 2025 dates.
Often referred to as 'the country Coachella,' Stagecoach takes place at the same Empire Polo Club venue as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, only a week later and with a completely different line-up. The festival launched in 2007 and showcases some of country music’s biggest stars, as well as folk, bluegrass, Americana and roots artists. The 2022 festival, back after a two-year pandemic interruption, featured Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett and Luke Combs. Keep 26-28 April free in 2024 and look out for 2025 dates.
A rare multi-city touring festival, Country Thunder makes stops in Arizona, Iowa, Tennessee, Florida, Wisconsin and Canada over the course of the festival season. As the name suggests, this fest is all about modern mainstream country music, with headliners like Florida Georgia Line, Chris Young, Jason Aldean and Morgan Wallen playing various events. Each stop along the tour is slightly different, but most of the shows are held on large rural properties with lots of room for camping. Check the Country Thunder website for where it's heading next.
Referred to simply as Jazz Fest by locals, this 10-day festival has been part of New Orleans’ cultural landscape since 1970. It’s not just about jazz – the many tents and stages at the Fair Grounds Race Course host a huge diversity of artists, including 2024 guests like the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and the Foo Fighters, as well as more traditional jazz and blues artists. Since this is New Orleans, there’s also plenty of culture to take in too. Book now for 25 April-5 May 2024.
Named after a song by Kentucky-based band My Morning Jacket (who headlined the Sunday of the 2022 event), this three-day festival was designed to bring top-tier alternative rock bands to Atlanta. Alt-rock music is still the focus here, with a 2022 line-up that also featured Green Day, Nine Inch Nails and Death Cab for Cutie. Since rockin’ out can build up an appetite, food is also a big deal at Shaky Knees, with plenty of gourmet food trucks on site to keep fans nourished. Save the dates for 2024's offering – 3-5 May.
Billed as the largest electronic dance music festival in North America, the Electric Daisy Carnival (or EDC) is a feast for the senses, with bright lights, elaborate stages, carnival rides, dancers and circus performers, art installations and, of course, performances from dozens of artists. Rather than promoting big names, the festival takes a 'you are the headliner' approach, suggesting that the EDC community is the true draw of the festival. This year's event will be held on 17-19 May, while 2025's dates are yet to be set.
Gulf Shores is a beach community on the Gulf of Mexico, just west of the Florida panhandle. This three-day festival (17-19 May) takes advantage of the area’s unbelievable white sands, with stages set up right on the beach. Audience members often show up in their bathing suits to enjoy activities like beach volleyball, skating at the onsite roller disco and riding a Ferris wheel that offers views of the stages. There’s even a beachside chapel for couples who want a destination wedding.
Co-curated by The National’s Aaron Dessner, Boston Calling started out as a twice-a-year festival, treating the people of Boston to a critically acclaimed array of artists. Now taking place just once a year, the three-day festival brings plenty of food and fun to the Harvard Athletic Complex, as well as impressive musical artists, mostly falling into the alternative rock category. The 2024 festival, to be held on 24-26 May, offers a nice mix of newer and nostalgic artists, with performers like Ed Sheeran and The Killers.
This destination festival in central California invites music fans to come and stay for a full experience that goes beyond simply listening to music. The musical acts – all curated for dancing – are important, but the festival also features a component called The Compass, involving lifestyle workshops and discussions with various experts and thought leaders. Art installations, performances and sculptures are also part of the experience, along with yoga and wellness elements. It's being held this year over the Memorial Day weekend: 22-27 May.
Winery touring season kicks off with a bang with this three-day festival (24-26 May) in the heart of California wine country. 2024 headliners include Pearl Jam, Stevie Nicks and Ed Sheeran, and this festival really sets itself apart with some truly high-level food from prestigious Napa Valley chefs, as well as local wines and craft beers. There's even a culinary stage featuring appearances and cooking demonstrations from celebrity chefs. Attendees can also indulge in spa and beauty treatments.
This NYC festival takes place in Corona Park in Flushing Meadows with room for four stages. The music falls into the realm of popular artists, with 2024 highlights including Post Malone, SZA and 21 Savage. Because New Yorkers have high standards, the onsite food and beverage is on point, as is the site, which is spruced up with artificial grass to cover hot asphalt and a cool NYC street aesthetic. Held 7-9 June.
Featuring over 150 musical acts performing on 10 stages, Tennessee’s Bonnaroo is one of America’s most beloved music festivals. The fest’s name is Creole slang for 'good stuff' and it certainly delivers on that front, with a 2024 line-up showcasing the likes of Pretty Lights, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fred Again and Megan Thee Stallion. The four-day fest (13-16 June) offers a 'world within a world' with its camping plazas, which feature parties, secret performances, chill-out zones, movie screenings, wedding chapels and more.
Electronic music and jam band fans unite at this festival at the Double JJ Resort on the shores of Lake Michigan. A lot of the acts in the 2024 line-up (20-23 June) aren’t exactly household names, but Electric Forest is another one of those festivals that is really about the community experience. Camping is an essential part of the trip to Electric Forest – the extensive grounds feature a number of different options, with tent and RV camping as well as luxurious air-conditioned pre-set tents and cabins.
Billing itself as the largest music festival in the US, Summerfest is a massive three-weekend event that attracts hundreds of thousands of people. General admission shows are held on the Summerfest grounds in downtown Milwaukee, with additional ticketed concerts at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. With a total of 12 stages there is a lot of music to see, including headliners like Kane Brown, Motley Crue, Tyler Childers, Maroon 5 and dozens of other acts performing in 2024.
Organised by the famous Pitchfork Media music website, the Pitchfork Music Festival has become one of the most prestigious showcases of critically acclaimed rock, pop, hip-hop and dance music. The line-up is tasteful and eclectic with groups such as Black Pumas, Jamie XX, Alanis Morissette and Jessie Ware headlining the three-day festival in 2024 (19-21 July). The festival’s 60,000 attendees can also shop for records and crafts on site and eat food from local Chicago vendors.
This 1990s alt-rock touchstone was originally conceived as a touring festival, but Lollapalooza is now a standalone fest that takes place in downtown Chicago’s Grant Park. The single-show format makes for a mightier line-up: with nine stages and four days (1-4 August), Lollapalooza is able to host more than 170 musical acts, with a 2024 line-up that includes Tyler the Creator, Hozier, Blink 182 and Skrillex.
This three-day fest (2-4 August) is dedicated to big and brash country music, with dozens of cowboy hat-clad acts taking over the legendary Gorge Amphitheatre. Country and camping is the name of the game here, with a 2024 line-up featuring country stars like Old Dominion, Luke Bryan and Hardy. The landscape is absolutely breathtaking and in addition to two-stepping to the music, fans tend to form a bit of a community, referring to regular festival attendees as 'Shedders'.
Most people don’t need an excuse to hang out in San Francisco’s beautiful Golden Gate Park, but this three-day (9-11 August) outdoor rock festival is an especially good reason to visit one of America’s most famous green spaces. Outside Lands offers an excellent selection of food and beer, a separate DJ and EDM tent for those who want to get their dance on, and a long list of globally recognised artists.
Personally curated by Jay-Z, Made in America boasts an eclectic mix of artists, with acts like Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar having all played in recent years. Held at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway over the course of two days on Labour Day weekend, the festival also usually introduces audiences to some up-and-coming artists. The festival is taking a break in 2024 but promises to come back bigger and better in 2025.
Advertised as 'a music festival and so much more', Life is Beautiful is a huge multifaceted arts festival that takes place right in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. Music is a key draw, but the festival also includes comedy, drag performances and a strong culinary component. There are also 18 blocks of gallery space, giving audiences a glimpse of works from a wide range of interdisciplinary visual artists. Dates for 2024 are yet to be confirmed, but the organisers hint that you should keep 20-22 September free.
Few American festivals live up to their name like Kentucky’s hard-hitting Louder Than Life. This four-day (26-29 September) fest brings together some of the biggest names in hard rock, with a 2024 roster that includes Slipknot, Slayer and Korn. The whole thing takes place at the Highland Festival Grounds at the KY Expo Center and despite being in the city, onsite camping is an optional part of the festival experience.
The deserts of southern California have long had ties to the world of music, something that’s celebrated deeply at this festival. This part of the desert attracts some pretty far-out characters and Desert Daze tends to draw bands with a penchant for psychedelic sounds and imagery, with past line-ups including bands like The Flaming Lips, My Bloody Valentine and Ween. Camping is a must at this fest – there’s nothing better than sleeping under the desert stars. This year's event is held 10-13 October.
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Many music fans are familiar with the long-running PBS show Austin City Limits, which led to the creation of this festival in 2002. Held over two three-day portions in October (4-6 and 11-13), the annual outdoor festival features more than 100 performances scattered over eight stages in Zilker Park. The acts tend to mimic the kinds of bands seen on the show, with a nice mix of roots, pop, country and even hip-hop artists. It’s a family-friendly event, with activities for kids and lots of interesting food to try out.
Defining itself as an 'intersection of music, art and technology,' III Points offers a unique and somewhat heady two-day (18-19 October) experience. Past line-ups have been designed to provoke thought, with Grimes mesmerising the crowd in 2023. The shows take place over six immersive stages at the Mana Wynwood creative campus, which is also adorned with art exhibits including large-scale murals and live graffiti demonstrations.
Winter may be closing in, but in Arizona it is still warm enough to hold a music festival in Tucson’s Jacome Plaza. Held across two days (9-10 November in 2024) the DUSK festival has been bringing the positive energy of EDM to the southwest since 2016. In recent years the festival has been incorporating elements of indie, rock, and hip-hop, but the feel-good vibes remain – all in the heart of downtown Tucson.
See out the year with a bang at Forever Midnight, a two-day New Year’s Eve weekend extravaganza that bills itself as an exhilarating mix of celebration and creativity embodying the spirit of an endless night. Held across 30-31 December, the event promises to be a vibrant blend of fashion, dance and culture, and features sets from EDM legends like Eric Prydz, Jamie XX, Solomun and Fisher. A sister event is held in Las Vegas on the same dates. Where will you be partying forever at midnight?
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